A good part of enjoying the hobby we all have is access to land and trails to explore. Your action is needed on the following item. Please take a minute or two to send an email in support of this cause.

Big Ridge is located in the area of Poison Springs, Hatch Canyon and Glen Canyon Recreation area. On Big Ridge there is a back country air strip built by Simplot. Access to Big Ridge is very limited. You can’t access Big Ridge without going through the Glen Canyon Recreation area which requires a street legal full size vehicle or motorcycle, no street legal ATVs are allowed. Big Ride is BLM land and not part of the Glen Canyon Recreation area. Coming off of Big Ridge into Hatch Canyon is a dugway. This was built with a BULLDOZER in the 1950s and is visible from Google Earth. This dugway bypasses the Glen Canyon Recreation area and allows ATVs and non-street legal machines to access the BLM trail system on Big Ridge. A few years back a large bolder fell on to the road and blocked ATV and full size access; however, motorcycle riders have been using it. In May of this year OHV users groups and the Utah State Parks had planned to take a trail cat down the dugway to remove the obstruction. SUWA found out about the the project, contacted the BLM and SHUT DOWN the project. In order to complete the project the BLM is now doing an EA (environmental assessment). SUWA has vowed to put a stop to this and has called upon its members to email the BLM field offices. Currently they are sending hundreds of emails to stop this.
SUWAs website information is riddled with lies. SUWA members are telling the BLM of inaccurate information. They claim that it is a “proposed opening”. This is false. The dugway is currently an open and approved BLM motorized travel route. They claim it has been impassible for over “30 years”. This is not correct. Seven motorcycles rode this dugway in March of 2013. They claim that this route is unnecessary because “ORV” users can access it through the Glen Canyon National Recreation area. This is not true. ORVs are NOT street legal. Only street legal motorcycle and full size vehicles are allowed into the park to access Big Ridge.
This dugway will allow for all OHVs that are not street legal. It makes a great loop for Jeeps and dual sport riding. It allows ATVs to access Big Ridge.
DO NOT LET SUWA WIN. DO NOT LET SUWA GET AWAY WITH THEIR LIES
Take less than a minute and send the BLM an email in support of the Big Ridge Dugway project. Here are some talking points:

1. Include who you are your recreational interest (full size, ATV, MC, Dual Sport).
2. The Current BLM Resource Management Plan supports maintenance of this route.
3. Under the current travel plan this dugway is opened to motorized use.
4. It was constructed by a Bulldozer and has been in use since 1950.
5. Route leads to a back country air strip.
6. Route is currently being used.
7. Route was analyzed during the RMP process and was designated open by BLM staff.
Keep it simple. Even just an email voice support of it will help. Send your emails to both
Richfield Field Office Manager: Wayne Wetzel wwetzel@blm.gov
District Manager: Todd Christensen tchriste@blm.gov

Bump for attention. If you haven't taken a few minutes to craft an email, please do so. The more support we show for issues like this, the better chance we will have at opening, and keeping trails open.

We spend HOURS on the forums talking about Jeeps, hopefully everyone is willing to take 10 minutes and write a letter. When they close trails, it is often because we don't stand up to defend our rights to access public land.

Every one of us should be all over this, we are offroad and outdoor enthusiasts (and a few mallcrawlers).

Or if we have a big group that doesn't want to write...perhaps in the future we could start writing a form letter and let the members of the Utah JeepCrew sign on. We could then send a letter from the "Utah JeepCrew" with the names of those that would like to sign on. Form letters are not as effective as individual letters IMO. But if this would get people to sign on that don't typically do it, I may be worth it.

We spend HOURS on the forums talking about Jeeps, hopefully everyone is willing to take 10 minutes and write a letter. When they close trails, it is often because we don't stand up to defend our rights to access public land.

Every one of us should be all over this, we are offroad and outdoor enthusiasts (and a few mallcrawlers).

Or if we have a big group that doesn't want to write...perhaps in the future we could start writing a form letter and let the members of the Utah JeepCrew sign on. We could then send a letter from the "Utah JeepCrew" with the names of those that would like to sign on. Form letters are not as effective as individual letters IMO. But if this would get people to sign on that don't typically do it, I may be worth it.